UPDATE: Deputies have 'nothing to hide' over code of conduct complaint

The Bailiff's Office this morning confirmed Home Affairs president Mary Lowe, Education, Sport & Culture president Paul Le Pelley and Guernsey's second most senior politician Deputy Lyndon Trott are facing an official code of conduct complaint.
Made by the Guernsey Community Foundation and Guernsey Disability Alliance, the complaint came from concerns about comments the three politicians allegedly made about Deputy Marc Leadbeater.

Earlier today, Deputy Trott and Deputy Le Pelley denied any wrongdoing.

And Deputy Lowe has this afternoon issued a statement saying the complaints from both organisations had been 'unwarrented'.

'Neither of the complainants has had the decency to make contact with me to ascertain any facts prior to these totally unwarranted complaints being lodged.

'I look forward to the Code of Conduct Panel hearing the facts and trust their judgement, I have nothing to hide as a result of this complaint.

'Let me be absolutely clear I was asked for political advice and that is what I offered. Some will agree with my advice while others will disagree, long may that be the case, that's freedom of choice & true democracy.'

Deputy Leadbeater remained a valued member of the committee for Home Affairs, she added.

'Deputy Leadbeater has expressly informed me he was grateful for advice given. He has made no complaint to me and has said that nothing l have said has caused him offence.'

Earlier today, Deputy Trott said he had nothing to hide.

'I was approached by the President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, who sought my advice on whether the Committee should re-nominate Deputy Leadbeater following his resignation,' Deputy Trott said.

'I was clear in the guidance I offered, which was that if I was in the president's position, I would not seek to have Deputy Leadbeater back on my committee for the simple reason that he had chosen to break away from the Committee's agreed position when he resigned. Committees work best when there is trust and as far as I was concerned Deputy Leadbeater had burnt those political bridges when he publicly distanced himself from his fellow committee members.

'Let me be absolutely clear about this. I was asked for political advice and that is what I offered.

'Some will no doubt agree with my stance while others will disagree, such is the nature of politics, but at no point did Deputy Leadbeater's personal circumstances either enter into our conversation or my mind.

'In fact, I had no idea of Deputy Leadbeater's family circumstances until I read about them in the Guernsey Press. I take great exception to an accusation that I would behave in a discriminatory manner.'

If he is found to have behaved without integrity then he would step down from the Policy & Resources Committee with immediate effect.